Step 6: Strain

Step 7: Finish

To finish the pudding stir in butter (optional but adds a nice shine) and any desired flavourings. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming, ...

Forget instant pudding. Making pudding from scratch is easy and only requires a few staple ingredients.

Homemade pudding has a reputation for being difficult and disaster prone. In fact it is straightforward and easy to make as long as you give it your full attention. The cooking pudding needs constant attention to prevent burning and lumps, during this time you cannot stop stirring to answer the phone or find a bowl for the next step. Don't worry though, this step only takes about 5 minutes.

I have provided a basic recipe in step 2, but the important thing here is the method, so feel free to use any recipe you like. A similar method is used for custard, pastry cream and ice cream.

Step 1: Ingredients and Tools

All pudding recipes will use these basic ingredients in varying proportions.

Ingredients:

Milk
Cornstarch
Egg Yolks
Sugar
Salt (op)
Butter (op)
Flavourings

Tools:

Small sauce pan
2 heat proof bowls
Whisk
Strainer
Heatproof spatula

Step 2: Recipe

There are a huge number of recipes available for pudding and this method will help you make any of them. The recipe below is more or less average, while you may find others with many more yolks, whole eggs or no eggs at all.

Step 3: Prep

Have ready a second heatproof bowl, a strainer, and a heatproof spatula. You will not be able to leave the stove once you start the next step (it will take 5 or 10 minutes) so make sure everything is ready.

TO KEEP THE LUMPS OUT OF THE PUDDING RUB THE SUGAR AND THE CORNSTARCH TOGETHER UNTIL WELL BLENDED . THE CORNSTARCH WILL LUMP IN LIQUIDS BUT THE SUGAR KEEPS IT FROM DOING THAT , ALSO TO PREVENT A FILM FROM FORMING , SPRINKLE A LITTLE BIT OF SUGAR ON THE TOP.THIS IS CALLED" FRENCH PUDDING"